waramatt wrote:HLC - I use an SE Draft Lite as a commuter. The only change I've made is to put 700x35 tyres on it so I can easily go single track, grass reserves etc more easily. Am I taking my life in my hands with cheap parts? After several thousand trouble-free kilometers, I doubt it.

My GF rides a SE draft lite. I never said they were bad, otherwise she wouldn't ride it... I have over time upgraded some parts though ha ha, pretty much everything except frame, headset and saddle lol

I was orginally going to buy a se lite for the special deal of $175 from goldcross cycles up in strathpine. but was turned off after being told about the need to replace most parts to get it as reliable as possible. I totally gave up that idea and went for another frame and quality parts. I weigh a good 95kgs and don't wanna be riding alone an brake 3 spokes or snap the crank.

How's my luck!!?? I was with my 9 year old son at the chemist the other week when he notices a competition to win a bike. He fills out the application 'How has Nurofen helped your day?' with the response 'it helped me go to school when I had a test'. So I think nothing of it till the lady friend gets a call saying he's won a bike!! You beauty!! Shuffle on down there to collect his (my) Reid Griffon with smiles all round. Assembled it easy enough, seems well constructed - but a bit too big for him, but it goes ok. 5 bikes in the shed though, someone has to go?!!

I'm not sure i get what you mean by 'low end crap', i have Tektro brakes and Lasco cranks on my favourite singlespeed and they're just fine and dandy. The wheels on the SE look a little better but not much, Promax brakes definitely aren't as good as Tektro IME, and while the frame and forks look identical the Reid is cromo but the SE is apparently hi ten.

yeah not expecting much for around $350, both reid and my lbs are close to home so was happy just to grab anything for a pubrunner thrasher. Like the haro from the lbs but was wondering what size seatpost the reid has???

ldrcycles wrote:I'm not sure i get what you mean by 'low end crap', i have Tektro brakes and Lasco cranks on my favourite singlespeed and they're just fine and dandy. The wheels on the SE look a little better but not much, Promax brakes definitely aren't as good as Tektro IME, and while the frame and forks look identical the Reid is cromo but the SE is apparently hi ten.

Refering to the frames if you ever get a close look at them, Heavy old PG cromo vs Butted on the SE(lager is cro mo Draft Hiten), and the welds on the reids I've seen are pretty damn industrial. OG post had a $500 price max which means he could do way better for his money. And the Haros look very k marty(flimsy) for a bike that supposed to be for trickin.Just to add this is an internet forum, and my opinion only has as much value as you put on it. So its as worthless as the next persons really. Buy what you can afford and suits you.

I was in the same boat, with an ally roadie,a retro steel roadie with brifters, and an undrilled lugged track bike, i wanted a $hitter for all the other stuff. Weighed up the parts bin + frame option, and settled on a Complete Kona paddy wagon on a clearout special. Cheaper than a build, and actually rides well enough to have become my commuter.

I would buy a Harrier for the components (it is a good deal knocked together) and the ride. It's nice and stiff, accelerates lightly and the cro-mo works for me. I love the geometry, and the colours are pretty damn attractive too - able to customise every detail etc.

But NOT the Griffon (lower-end with Promax components, etc) and I would be cautious about those JHT Chinese-made wheels. From my experience the spokes loosened so often that I had to carry a spoke key around. And the lowest end of brakes I'd go = Tektro, nothing less.

Yeah, I'd love to hear from someone who's had one for a while. I've got a Falco to commute on (love it!) and been pinching my wife's X229 (not too shabby) for short trips. But I've been tempted to get a cheap fixie for when I go riding with the family and to save me adjusting the seat height on the mrs' bike.

lobstermash wrote:Yeah, I'd love to hear from someone who's had one for a while. I've got a Falco to commute on (love it!) and been pinching my wife's X229 (not too shabby) for short trips. But I've been tempted to get a cheap fixie for when I go riding with the family and to save me adjusting the seat height on the mrs' bike.

I do, love it. The 2014s look to be even better finished than my '13. Get one. Problem solved.

...whatever the road rules, self-preservation is the absolute priority for a cyclist when mixing it with motorised traffic.London Boy 29/12/2011

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